Green Velo

This loop goes from the historic town of Szydłów via Chańcza Reservoir to the picturesque village of Kurozwęki. Almost the whole trail is on asphalt roads, most of which have a low volume of traffic. The landscape along the way will vary as you pass orchards, meadows, arable fields and forests. The main attractions include the towns of Szydłów and Raków, as well as Popiel Palace in Kurozwęki.

Szydłów (0.0 km) → Brzeziny (4.0 km) → Potok (8.5 km) → Życiny (13.8 km) → Raków (17.2 km) → Chańcza (22.1 km) → Jasień (24.0 km) → Korytnica (25.0 km) → Kotuszów (26.8 km) → Kurozwęki (29.8 km) → Jabłonica (32.5 km) → Szydłów (39.4 km)

• Lenght: 39.4 km
• Time: 4 hours (5-6 hours with sightseeing)
• Tyoe: Touring, cross
• Elevation: 370 m
• 87% asphalt roads, 11% unpaved roads, 2% gravel roads
• Moderately difficult
• No marking on most of the route; parts of the Way of St. James, Green Velo and local trails

Getting there and starting out

When arriving by car, a convenient place to begin the trip is the car park by the Church of St. Władysław in Szydłów.

Technical description

From the car park by the church in Szydłów, turn onto ul. Staszowska and then left onto ul. Brzezińska. Stay on this quiet asphalt road for 4 kilometres, passing orchards and fields with roadside crosses. In Brzeziny, turn right and continue for another 4 km until you reach Potok, a village with a historic church from 1647. When you reach voivodeship road no. 756, turn left. Chańcza Reservoir will be on your right, though not yet within sight. Once you get to Raków, you can take a short break in the market square, which has a 17^th century church nearby. Take the Green Velo route when you leave the square and follow ul. Klasztorna towards the Church of St. Anne. Go past the church, all the way to the roundabout on the ring road. Stay on the voivodeship road for several hundred metres, and then turn right at the first intersection with a forest road, along the Way of St. James and the yellow bike trail. Follow the signs and you’ll reach the village of Chańcza. Turn left onto an asphalt road, and after 500 m take the narrow road that runs between some fences. With occasional signs for the Way of St. James, this will take you to the reservoir. This picturesque lake created by a dam has a variety of bars, water sports equipment rental points and a swimming area with lifeguards from the Volunteer Water Rescue Service (WOPR), and is a major local attraction. Head toward the dam, initially along a dirt path, then on an asphalt road. After you come to the main road, turn left, and then right about 50 metres later. Back on the route, you will pass through Korytnica and Kotuszów. In Kurozwęki, enter Popiel Palace through the main gate. This is a place with plenty of attractions on offer – you can visit the palace and its brewery, and also see some live bison, while children can have fun in the large playground and corn maze. Once you’ve finished there, go back 300 m and turn left towards Jabłonica, then after the fire station turn right towards Kotuszów. From there, take the Way of St. James to return to Szydłów.

Attractions along the way:

Szydłów – medieval urban layout

This is one of the few towns in Poland with such a well-preserved medieval layout. It has very impressive crenellated stone walls, with a wall-walk, as well as the Kraków Gate, which is surrounded by a dry moat. There is also a royal castle. Skarbczyk, which was built in the 16^th century, houses both a library and the Royal Castles Museum. In the northern part of this medieval town is a beautiful Renaissance synagogue from the 16^th century (which is open for sightseeing), while the 14^th century All Saints Church stands up on a hill outside the town walls. Take a moment to see the ruins of the Church of the Holy Spirit and the hospital for the poor and the elderly. No mention of Szydłów would be complete without a reference to the Szydłów plum, a local product that is celebrated every year with the Plum Festival (Święto Śliwki).

Royal Castles Museum, ul. Szkolna 8; Synagogue, ul Targowa 3;

All Saints Church, ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 12;

Church of the Holy Spirit, ul. Staszowska 15,

sightseeing info: tel. +48 41 354 53 13, +48 881 065 108,

www.szydlow.pl/turystyka

Raków

Built at the turn of the 17^th century, the Arian House is the grandest building in Raków, and it stands out for its late Renaissance style. The building, which dates back to the times of the Polish Brethren (or Arians), has frequently changed owners and served as an inn, a warehouse and a library, among other things. Today, it houses an exhibition about the history of the town and the Arian movement as a whole within Poland. This small town also has an interesting market square and two 17^th century churches: the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of St. Anne.

Arian House (also known as Wójt’s House), ul. J. Sienieńskiego 5/11

 Chańcza Reservoir

The reservoir’s sandy beaches and dry banks covered with pine forests (especially on the western side) make ideal camping spots in the summer. There are bathing areas with lifeguards, water sports equipment rental facilities, accommodation and a variety of food outlets. This reservoir on the Czarna Staszowska River was created between 1974 and 1984 by flooding part of the river valley along with the adjoining meadows and buildings. 

Popiel Palace in Kurozwęki

The history of the palace dates back more than six centuries, which is reflected in the mix of different architectural styles that can be seen. Built in the second half of the 14^th century, the palace has been extended several times. In the early 1990s, the building was returned to the heirs of the last owners and has since been gradually renovated. In addition to looking around the interiors, you can also eat in the restaurant or stay overnight in the hotel rooms available. There are bison grazing in an enclosure in the nearby meadows and there’s also a corn maze to try out, which has a different theme every year. Why not go on a sightseeing bison safari? The menu in the restaurant also contains dishes with bison meat for those who fancy trying out new tastes. Other attractions include a brewery for adults, and playgrounds, horse rides and a mini-zoo for children.

ul. Zamkowa 3, tel. +48 15 866 72 71, www.kurozweki.com